The lilly pad with new lazeyboy lilly pads..The HOPpers hanging

Long long time ago I was sitting at my desk at work. I wasn’t doing anything interesting just the usual updating data bases and filing letters. Now at work there was a small mother a child group holding one of their special days for the kids. Up the stairs walked a man called Luke. He carried all of these strange things, said he came for the circus skills workshop day we were holding and asked for a helping hand. So I helped him to set things up.

We did a bit of juggling with balls and scarves. Balanced peacock feathers on our faces and we were really having fun. Then out of his bag he pulled some balls on string. One of the other mum’s faces lit up ran over and grabbed them with this huge smile on her face. As she went outside we all followed curious to what these things were. Before we knew what was truly going on we were mesmerized. The balls on string had what appeared to have streamers on the ends which made a gentle noise and the most amazing patterns I have ever seen. And all this from balls on string so I just had to have a go. I tried my best and my goodness was it harder than it looked.

As soon as I got home the internet was switched on before the kettle. I had to find out what they were called. So I googled “Spinning balls on strings”

The first site I came to was called Home Of Poi so I double clicked to see what it was all about. I first read the history and then thought would go and have a look in the gallery. Talk about shocked…. It could be done with Fire!!! And there was a huge community dedicated to it… and not just one online community but loads all over he world. Why had I never heard of this before? How do I make them? And where could I learn just how to do it? So I searched the forum, read loads of posts and then Huzahhh I found the free online Poi lessons. Straight upstairs I ran to get the longest pair of socks I could find then ran back down again trying to find matching balls or just something to put in the bottom ad tied a knot at the top. Next step was to click on the first lesson…..

And that’s the day I got hooked to Poi.

Since then I have been to quite a few meets and have started our own which has infected lots more people in our town to learn to spin.

I do more now than just Poi and for the first time in my life have a whole bunch of fantastic friends who I feel I can turn to for anything life throws at me.

Who am I? Well………………….

Name: Gothfrogette, Froggy or Mal

Location: In the Midlands (the middle bit of the UK)

Hometown: Nuneaton... made famous by George Eliot, Larry Grayson, and The Aqua Car, having a ring road that runs through the town centre and home to the countries first Justice centre

Age: nearly 32! eek

Sex: i'm a big girly girl

Occupation(s): Full time Mum, Performer and business owner to be ubbrollsmile

Favourite Food(s): Peas

Favourite Color(s): Red and Black (together) but I also like Pink and Purple

Toys: ubblol

Poi, Staff including doubles, CJ, Juggling, Unicycle, spinney plates, devil Stick and Hula hoop

Hobbies other than the obvious: Making toys, clothes, costumes, and anything I can think of

Favourite Book(s): I actually don’t have any

Favourite Movie(s): Same with this one… I don’t have any

Favourite TV show(s): TV is BORING so the only time is on is to watch kids programs Or films. Yup that’s right kids I don’t watch TV!!!!!

Plans for life in general: (i.e. what you want to do when you grow up) why do I have to Grow up? To finish DBT and to start up my own business.

Favourite Music Artists/Composers: NIN, and lots and lots of others

Favourite ice cream flavour(s): Chocolate

Marmite, Vegemite, or Nutella? I actually like both Marmite and Nutella but my face would have to be the Marmite

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